2018—A Year in Travel

From new air routes linking India with exotic new places to Airbnb seeking to replace the traditional ‘hotel’, Raul Dias brings you a few important highlights that shaped the way we travelled in 2018.   

By Raul Dias

There’s no denying the fact that Indians are the new ‘world travellers’. Interestingly, a recent report by Skift Research titled ‘The State of India Outbound Travel 2018’ shows how in just the last 20 years, the number of outbound tourists from India has grown from 3.5 million to 21.9 million. Thus, making India the fastest-growing outbound market after China.
No wonder then that we see each other almost everywhere, from places as obvious as Manhattan to those as deliciously obscure as Ulan Bator in Mongolia. From reports of a bunch of raucous Indian men virtually taking over an entire cruise ship in Australia as part of an office offsite trip to big fat Indian weddings in Lake Como and Las Vegas, there’s really no escaping us! And be it Prague or Phnom Penh, there will probably na’er be a restaurant menu that won’t cater to our vegetarian food predilections. 
And so, on the cusp of a brand-new year, let’s ponder over a few milestones in both travel and hospitality that have most certainly changed the way we travelled in 2018…

Visa Power
Let’s face it. Visa woes have often gotten the better of us all. Me included. Despite having travelled to 62 countries, I still get bothered and flustered with all that requisite paper work when applying for those pesky “may-I-please-visit-your-precious-country” passport stickers and stamps called visas! Well, as it so happens, I needn’t be so despondent anymore. As of October 2018, Indian citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 60 countries and territories. We no longer need a visa to travel to Indonesia, Ukraine, Tunisia and Qatar. In fact, Serbia became the first and only country in Europe to offer visa free entry to Indian passport holders. As for the online visas, a biggie like Australia started offering an online, e600 visitor visa to Indian passport bearers with others like Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan following suit. All Indian passport bearers are now eligible for a visa on arrival in countries like Gabon, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Iran and Jordan. And just a few days before I write this piece, Myanmar has announced visa-on-arrival for Indian tourists beginning 12th December, 2018.

The Young and the Restless
With India being a nation of the youth, 2018 was all about the 18-35-year-old travellers leading the way. Usually the ones to set the trends before following them, Millennials, and the even younger Generation Z, seek more hands-on and rewarding experiences. According to the website travelagentcentral.com, activity destinations that offer music, food and up-close nature experiences like safaris and sailing were up there on the top of the list for 2018. Young travellers gravitated toward destinations that offer more than a typical backpacker’s European-style getaway and instead provide more immersive natural and urban experiences. No wonder one of the hospitality world’s greatest disruptors like Airbnb decided to target Indians with their new vertical called Airbnb Experiences that offers everything from learning to surf in Sri Lanka to the more fine dining-centric activity of truffle hunting with an expert in Florence.

Homestay over Hotel?
Speaking of Airbnb, according to a recent report by Business Insider, the home sharing company now has 4 million listings in 191 countries worldwide, an amount that tops the number of listings held by the top five hotel brands combined. And Indians seem to have taken to this vacation accommodation model vis-a-vis traditional hotels like never before in 2018. Be it family reunions in Chiang Mai or bachelor parties in Phuket, renting out an Airbnb for the entire duration of stay is the preferred way to have to good time in the perennial favourite South East Asian destination for Indians—Thailand! Conversely, listings on Airbnb in India have grown by 115% year-on-year to more than 35,000, with the domestic segment of Indians travelling within India growing the fastest for the company.

New Connections
The last quarter of 2018 saw a host of both Indian and international airlines offering as many as six new non-stop routes from Mumbai. Operating for the first time from Maximum City, we saw airlines like Air Italy and Uzbekistan Airways flying in. While the former started its five times a week non-stop flight from Mumbai to Milan, Italy from 31st October, Uzbekistan Airways kicked off three direct flights a week between Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and Mumbai from 30th October. Among the Indian carriers, Air India restarted its direct flight services from Mumbai to Frankfurt, Germany. And while Jet Airways has now started connecting Mumbai to Manchester, UK with five-times a week flight services, Go Airways started its direct flights from Mumbai to Phuket in Thailand and Male in Maldives. Bring it on, we say!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 30th December 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/1959000/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/30-Dec-2018#page/13/1)

Christmas with a Difference

Christmas isn’t always about genial Santas, mistletoes and mugs of mulled wine. Raul Dias introduces you to a few alternative and decidedly wacky Christmas traditions around the world.   

By Raul Dias

In a little under two days’ time, most of the world will celebrate Christmas Day as we know it. Replete with all the Advent accoutrements pat in place. Read: carol singing, steaming mugs of mulled wine, nativity pageants and portly, white-bearded Santas frolicking about the place. But before we get carried away with all the above mentioned—and dare-we-say, cliched—merriment montages, it is pertinent to note that that’s not necessarily how the season’s festivities are represented everywhere. Remember we said ‘most’ and not ‘all over’ the world!

Here are a few such interesting, out-of-the-box and downright bizarre ways in which the world celebrates the birthday of Lord Jesus:  

The ‘anti-Santa’

This scary Austrian version of Santa, aka. Krampus really knows how to show those kids who’ve been bad, his…well, bad side! The ghoulish, hooved and horned creature that stems from Alpine folklore is believed to be the evil accomplice of St Nicholas and is said to wander the streets in search of badly-behaved children. During the month of December, you can expect to see terrifying masked figures out and about scaring kids and adults alike with ghastly pranks. The Krampus myth is so popular in Austria that there is even an annual Krampus parade in the capital Vienna. 

In a finger lickin’ mood, anyone?

Forget the Japanese language version of the “Merry Christmas!” greeting. For nearly five decades the refrain on Christmas Eve in Japan has been “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (Kentucky for Christmas!). Yes, eating Colonel Sanders’ fried poultry pieces have become a sort of ritual for a true-blue Japanese Christmas Eve. Back in 1974, the American fast-food restaurant giant released a festive marketing campaign in Japan that spawned this rather strange national tradition that still thrives to this day. Families from all over the country head to their local KFC for a special Christmas Eve meal with table reservations being made weeks in advance.

Get, set…skate

There’s a very unique tradition that takes place in Caracas, Venezuela from the 16th to the 24th of December every year, where the city’s streets are closed off for heavy traffic before 8am so that people can go skating. And come Christmas Eve, the streets are closed off the whole day. Local residents then roller skate to church to attend the early morning mass called misa de aguinaldo, shooting off fireworks and shouting out “Jesus is born!” as they skate way.

In a mighty pickle! 

Forget those shiny buntings and kiss those cute turtle doves goodbye. In Germany, the must-have Christmas tree ornament has got to be a big green dill pickle. Confused? Well, in this Teutonic nation—where many believe the Christmas tree originated—it is customary to hide a pickle shaped ornament somewhere within the branches of the tree and give a gift to whichever child in the household finds it. According to a legend, two young boys were held captive inside a pickle barrel when the jolly St Nicholas rescued them, bringing them back (and a new tradition) to life.

Barbie and thongs

Do pardon the above sub-header, but this unique Christmas tradition maintained by our antipodean friends from down under in Australia has got nothing whatsoever to do with dolls or underwear! With Australia enjoying sunny Christmas days—what with December being peak summer time—the festivities here are kicked off with family-style barbecues that are affectionately called ‘barbies’ where people come dressed ultra-casually in shorts and sporting ‘thongs’ or flip flops on their feet. Very often, after a typically Aussie Christmas barbie, the action shifts to the local beach for a swim in the waters or simply to lounge about on the sand.  

Duck off!

We’ve probably saved the wackiest (and cutest!) of all Christmas traditions for the last, all the way from Sweden. The story goes back to the 1960s when televisions which were relatively new in Sweden aired only two channels. Now, one of these played Disney cartoons at Christmas, and in particular a 1958 Christmas special called “Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul” or “Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas”. Very soon the tradition of watching this particular special took root. So much so that till this day, every Christmas, families around Sweden gather in front of the television set at 3pm sharp, all to watch the antics of a duck named Donald. Interestingly, everything on Christmas Day is planned around the television special that enjoys a viewership of more than 40 per cent of Sweden’s population.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 23rd December 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/christmas-2018-wacky-christmas-traditions-you-may-not-know-about/1420469)

Bun Times!

We drop in for a revisit to an international café chain where their signature buns are just as yum, but prices a tad higher than before  

By Raul Dias

Revisiting an eatery we’ve reviewed in the past always throws up a whole lot of pertinent questions. Chief among them being—did we do justice to it the first time round? Eleven months after we visited Pappa Roti when it first opened in February 2018, we drop in for our very own ‘2.0 assessment’ of the café and all it has to offer us. And we’re happy to report that our earlier review couldn’t have been more on the ball.
We’re at the hip-n-trendy Lower Parel branch of the international café chain that first introduced the world to its signature brand of oxymoronically airy, yet crusty-topped butter buns in Malaysia in 2003. Comfortably ensconced in a corner booth, surrounded by potted plants and stacks of board games, we call for the signature bun (Rs 185, all buns contain egg) slathered with the Nutella-doppelganger Lotus biscuit spread add on, that sets us back by another Rs 70. The gooey, buttery core of the bun works in perfect textural harmony with the coffee-crusted exterior. We team this with the tart and refreshing strawberry-basil ice tea (Rs 210) and a well-made, hot Pappa milk tea (Rs 225) that unfortunately comes pre-sweetened.
One glance at the menu and we’re acutely made aware of the fact that almost everything on it has been marked up by at least 10 per cent of the launch price. But then, there are also a few delicious new savoury entrants like the multigrain, smoked BBQ chicken sandwich (Rs 275) with a subtle hint of sweet bell peppers and mayonnaise. The assertive hit of cinnamon in the generously-stuffed mutton kheema roll (Rs 295) is just right. Sitting atop a crisp base, the exotic chargrilled vegetable 10-inch pizza (Rs 425) not just looks good, but tastes equally scrumptious, though we’d have liked a little more tomato-garlic sauce smeared on the base.   
Unable to resist the lure of the buns—that we can now smell as they come freshly baked off the oven—we decide to indulge in one last specimen in lieu of dessert. This time we gourmandise the dark chocolate anointed bun (Rs 185 + Rs 70 for the topping) and banish all thoughts of the crisp almond Nutella bun with Oreo (Rs 185 + Rs 90) for another equally crisp Sunday afternoon! 

TIME: 11am to 1am 
AT: Gate 4, Ground Floor, Trade View, Oasis Reality, Lower Parel.
CALL: 8919067796

(An edited version of this review appeared in the 19th December 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 24 https://m.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-lower-parel-cafe-know-to-show-all-a-bun-time/402363)

Time for Tashkent!

A unique blend of its Soviet past and Central Asian exotica, Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent is the hottest new destination for the intrepid Indian traveller, says Raul Dias who recently flew to the city on Uzbekistan Airways’ brand new direct flight from Mumbai.   

By Raul Dias

“Uzbeki-where!?” was something I kept getting spat back at me by almost everybody—bewildered expressions pat in place—after I had told them of my impending trip to the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan. Even the immigration officer at Mumbai’s International Airport looked back at me as though I was speaking Greek to him when I told him that my destination was Tashkent.
But, in hindsight, it really wasn’t anyone’s fault for not knowing anything about the doubly landlocked country that was once an important milestone along the ancient Silk Road. Central Asia has never really fit into the mould of the average Indian’s ‘foreign holiday’ destination! And as for that ill-informed immigration offer, who should have known of Uzbekistan, I’ll let that pass, as the Uzbekistan Airways’ direct flight linking Mumbai and Tashkent I was to board that morning had just commenced operations a few days before.

First Impressions
A comfortable four hours spent enjoying the gracious hospitality aboard my Uzbekistan Airways flight and I was deposited into the beautiful, startlingly modern city of Tashkent. One of the first things that caught my attention on the ride to my hotel from the airport was the sheer number of green spaces and parks that dot the spotlessly clean city. Later that day I would visit a few of them, but more on that a little later.
A relic of the Soviet era with its typical brutalist style architecture, my home for the next two nights in Tashkent was the grand Hotel Uzbekistan located in the heart of the city on Musakhanov Street. Once the epitome of Soviet-style luxury with its cavernous ballroom and international cuisine restaurants, today, the hotel remains a looming reminder of the city’s USSR past, brusque service et al.
And speaking of past, the 29 Tashkent Metro stations—one of which, called Emir Temur Metro Station was just in front of my hotel—are each a lesson in grandeur and glamour with their marble and polished granite clad walls and crystal-glass chandeliered ceilings, all built in the 1970s. It’s a real pity that the police are rather strict about enforcing the ‘no photography’ diktat in these stunning underground stations.

Parks and Recreation
One of the first places my guide had me visit was the grand statue of Uzbekistan’s greatest hero the Turco-Mongol conqueror Amir Temur known multifariously as Timur, Tamerlane and yes, Taimur! Located slap bang in front of the Hotel Uzbekistan, the memorial garden that houses his horse-riding statue is a fecund paradise where blushing Uzbek newlywed couples come to have their wedding pictures taken. Just a few yards from the garden, the Amir Timur Museum is a good place to get an insight into the life and times of the warrior who is perceived very differently in places outside of Central Asia.
Equally picturesque are the well laid out parks that flank the city’s ‘Broadway’. Officially, Saligokh Street, this boulevard that starts at the south end of the Amir Temur Garden is home to scores of street artists and painters. The northern end of the boulevard is where the city’s fashion elite come to drop wads of cash at the designer boutiques and trendy restaurants.
Next on my carefully prepared itinerary was a stop at the Polish Catholic Church on Sadiq Asimov street, a good half an hour walk from the hotel. More formally known as the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, the church was almost fully destroyed during the 1966 earthquake but was reconstructed to its former glory with the help of the Polish Embassy of Tashkent. Though the main cathedral was shut for the day, I sat mesmerised by the choir practicing their hymns in the crypt below the church.
A few meters away, I payed homage at the memorial dedicated to India’s very own former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who passed away in Tashkent on 11 January 1966 when he visited the city to sign the Tashkent Declaration with Pakistan. Even the street that the memorial is housed on is named Shastri street and attracts quite a few nostalgic, selfie-seeking Indian travellers.   

A Taste of the Exotic!
All that walking about simply had to be rewarded in the best way that I know. Eating. Hopping onto a super-fast metro train, I found myself deposited into the bowels of a beast! Confused? Well, so was I when I saw the sight that is Chorsu Bazaar above the ground as I climbed my way back to surface level. There is a saying in Tashkent that you can get everything from a pin to an elephant in the humungous market and I guess they aren’t kidding!
The main domed market is an enclosed space that is divided into various sections selling meat (including the very popular horsemeat sausage called kazi), pickles, fruits and vegetables, dairy along with the salty and decidedly exotic hard fermented sheep’s milk cheese called kurt that’s very much an acquired taste that I’ve yet to acquire…
What I did relish with gusto, however, was a plate of fragrant plov or osh which is very similar to a spice-bereft biryani, where cumin-dusted pieces of lamb are stewed with sweetened carrots and rice and served with boiled chickpeas and slices of kazi. Simply called non, the circular disks of freshly baked bread were the perfect accompaniment to the meal that was washed down with a salty lassi-like yogurt drink called ayran.
I simply couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end my first of many days in exotic Uzbekistan!


Getting There and Around
Uzbekistan Airways (www.uzairways.com) has recently started its thrice a week, direct flight from Mumbai to Tashkent with a flying time of just four hours. Uzbekistan Airways also links New Delhi and Amritsar to Tashkent with direct flights. Travel within the city is very easy with cheap and plentiful transport options available, including taxis, buses, mini vans and the super-fast Tashkent Metro. The easy-to-procure visa to visit Uzbekistan can be obtained online and takes just two working days to process for a fee of US $20.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 9th December 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/tashkent-the-hottest-new-destination-for-intrepid-indian-travellers/1411680)

Bukhara: Beyond History

Once an integral pitstop on the legendary Silk Road, the ochre-coloured city of Bukhara is today the cultural jewel in Uzbekistan’s crown with its ancient monuments and old-world charm, says Raul Dias who traipses through this ancient wonderland!

By Raul Dias

As much as I pride myself on being a seasoned world traveller, with a respectable 60 countries under my belt, I knew very little about the Central Asian, former USSR country of Uzbekistan. And even less about Bukhara, its cultural and historical stronghold. My reference point to anything ‘Bukhara’ was the scrumptious stewed lentil preparation called Dal Bukhara that is served at the ITC Maurya New Delhi’s iconic restaurant of the same name—Bukhara.
But all that changed a few weeks ago, when I took advantage of the newly launched Uzbekistan Airways’ direct flight linking my home city of Mumbai to Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent. I followed that up with a super-fast, three-and-a-quarter hours long ride on the Afrosiyob bullet train from Tashkent and there I was in the beautiful and ancient city of Bukhara.

First Things First
An important pitstop on the iconic Silk Road that once linked the Orient with the Occident, along which trade of all sorts—but primarily of silk—flourished, Buhkara provided that much-need half way respite from the arduous journey. Additionally, during the golden age of the Samanids, Bukhara became a major intellectual center of the Islamic world, second only to Baghdad.
Today, with its 140 architectural monuments, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is a virtual ‘city-museum’, with wondrous sights at almost every turn you take. Sights that I simply couldn’t wait to treat my eyes to the minute I had finished checking into my hotel. One of the first places my rather enthusiastic hotel receptionist suggested…nay, insisted I pay obeisance at was what he called the “greatest of all of Bukhara’s gems!” i.e. The Ark. 
Built as a fortress in the 5th century AD, the walled Ark, in addition to being a military structure, was almost a town in itself and was inhabited by the various royal courts that ruled the region surrounding Bukhara. Its ‘Ground Zero’ of Bukhara role continued right until the early 20th century, when it fell to Russia in 1920. Today as a museum, it houses several informative exhibits of weaponry, armoury and coins and is a great place to get an orientation of ancient Bukhara. 

Historic Jewels Aplenty!
Slap bang opposite the Ark, I sauntered towards the multi-columned Bolo Hauz. Built in 1712, the beautiful mosque, fronted by an ornamental pond served as a Friday mosque during the time when the emir of Bukhara was being subjugated under the Bolshevik Russian rule in 1920s. A few meters behind Bolo Hauz was a monument I had heard of and was dying to visit.
Chashma-Ayub, or Job’s spring is said to reflect a legend that states the prophet Job (or Ayub in the Quran) visited this place and brought forth a spring of water by the blow of his staff on the ground. The water of the well inside is said to be exceptionally pure and is regarded for its supposed healing qualities. Taking an obligatory sip of the allegedly miraculous water (the magical properties of which have yet to be revealed to me!), I headed out to my next stop, the Po-i Kalan or Kalon/Kalyan Mosque complex.
One of the first things you see in this vast complex is the vertiginous Kalon minaret looming large. Also known as the Tower of Death, legend has it that it is the site where criminals were executed by being thrown off the top. The mosque itself is built in the typical Central Asian architectural style with its rectangular arch covered in brilliantly blue coloured tiles. Completed in 1514, the mosque can accommodate twelve thousand people. Making for brilliant photographs, the maze of two hundred and eighty-eight monumental pylons serves as a support for the multi-domed roofing of the galleries encircling the courtyard of the mosque.

Getting a Feel of Bukhara
If there is one ritual that I follow religiously whenever I find myself in a new place, then that would have to be a visit to the local market. And in the case of Bukhara the covered bazaar! So, sustaining myself with a juicy lamb and onion somsa—which is similar to an Indian samosa, but with a flaky, puff pastry shell—that I bought from a small hole-in-the-wall shop near Po-i Kalan, I headed towards the bazaar. Actually, make that bazaars. The four remaining covered bazaars give a fascinating glimpse into commerce in the city from old times.
The intersections of the main streets of medieval Bukhara served a purpose of trade that resulted in the construction of these domed structures called taq (dome) and tim (covered market). Till today, these bazaars remain important shopping places in Bukhara, where you can find many souvenir shops selling everything from beautiful ikat printed winter jackets to Russian fur hats called ushankas. Your choice is unlimited. Each bazaar is covered with numerous domes and holds its unique name. Taqi-Zargaron (dome of jewellers), Taqi-Sarrafon (dome of moneychangers) and Taqi-Telpakfurushon (dome of headwear sellers) are the three covered bazaars that survived till today.
All that walking around had gotten me exhausted. And so, as a treat to myself, I ended my day about Bukhara in the way the ancient merchants perhaps did—by going to the hammam. The 16th century Bozori Kord hammam in the bazaar was where I was steamed, soaped, soaked and stretched like a pretzel. All that, leaving me refreshed and ready to face a new day along my very own 2018 version of the Silk Road journey…     


FACT FILE

Getting There 
Uzbekistan Airways (www.uzairways.com) has recently started its thrice a week, direct flight from Mumbai to Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent with a flight time of just four hours. There are several daily flights on Uzbekistan Airways from Tashkent to Bukhara and also the swanky Afrosiyob bullet train service once a day, with a travel time of under four hours. Travel within Buhkara is very easy with cheap and plentiful taxis and buses. The easy-to-procure visa to visit Uzbekistan can be obtained online and takes just two working days to process for a fee of US $20.

When to Visit
Though Bukhara is a great year-round travel destination with cold winters and cheery summers, the spring months from April to June and the autumn months from September to November are the best times of the year to visit.

Accommodation
Bukhara has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Two such recommended accommodation options are:
* Lyabi House Hotel (www.lyabihouse.com)
* Asia Bukhara Hotel (www.asiahotels.uz)


(An edited version of this article appeared in the 7th December 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14. http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/bukhara-beyond-history/article_237100)

10 Reasons to Do Mexico!

From its mystery-shrouded ancient sites and hedonistic seaside havens to some of the best food and art that will leave you spellbound, Mexico has a lot on offer for the intrepid traveller. We bring you our top 10 reasons why this vibrant Central American nation should feature on your travel bucket list for 2019.     

By Raul Dias

1. Pre-Columbian wonders
It is safe to say that Mexico has the greatest concentration of some of the most stunning manmade structures of the ancient world. Just 50km form Mexico City in the ancient Aztec site of Teotihuacán, the two giant pyramids of the Avenue of the Dead and the Temple of Quetzalcóatl stand out in their magnificence. Another must-visit is the great pyramid of Cobá called Nohoch Mul which is the highest Mayan building on the Yucátan Peninsula. Still in the Yucátan, make sure to pay obeisance at the time temple of El Castillo at Chichén Itza to know what communing with divinity feels like.
 
2. Vibrant festivals
Perhaps one of the few countries in the world, where death is celebrated with so much fervour, come early November and Mexico puts on a ‘spooktacular show’ for the Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos. Luridly coloured, jazzed up candy skulls, ghoul face-painted revellers and effigies of La Calavera Catrina (the seductive female skeleton) can be seen everywhere. Interestingly, unlike other popular festivals like Semana Santa, La Morisma and Carnaval, Dia de Muertos is not only a Catholic festival, but also one that is celebrated by indigenous communities like the Purépecha of Michaocán who spend the night partying at graveyards. Speaking of indigenous festivals, others like the grand vernal and autumnal equinox festivals are celebrated at the revered Chichén Itza site in March and September respectively. 

3. More than just tacos!
While the much-worshipped corn dough or masa may be the lynchpin for most dishes that come under the ambit of what we recognise as being Mexican cuisine—with the ubiquitous tacos and quesadillas being the most famous exports—there is a whole treasure trove of hidden edible delights, that will make your gastronomic quest in Mexico a rewarding one. Regional dishes like the pre-Columbian, orange juice-marinated roast meat cochinita pibil from the Yucatán Peninsula, pescado zarandeado or grilled fish wrapped in banana leaf from Nayarit and the zesty, hominy-rich pozole soup from Jalisco are sure to up the exotic foods ante, if that’s what you’re looking for. For the true-blue adventurous palate, there are plenty of surprises in the form of San Luis Potosi’s flower of the barrel cactus dish called cabuches or perhaps armadillo en adobo where the name says it all!

4. Sun, sea and surf
Coastal Mexico is that kind of a place where every single one of your beach-related fantasies come alive! Think sipping potent pina coladas at a palm frond-thatched bar or enjoying an afternoon siesta snugly ensconced in a cabana and they all come to fruition at some of the country’s best beach resort destinations. Iconic places like Cancun where the sand is the softest or Playa Maruata whose Michoacán Beach is infested with black sea turtles are just a few. Jutting out like a long limb, the Baja California Peninsula is home to the famed Cabo San Lucas, a resort city at its southern tip which is the perfect spot to indulge in adventure sports like surfing and snorkelling and post that, some hardcore nightlife at its world-class clubs.

5. Drinks that defy convention
Long before the world and its best friend went berserk over the blue agave-produced tequila and its close cousin mezcal, the ancient Mexicans got their kick from indigenous drinks like atole. Made by boiling corn in milk or water and then sweetened with either sugar or piloncillo (a cane sweetener), atole is a fermented drink that’s very popular in Mexico to this day. Another indigenous drink from the region of Veracruz, aguardiente, which literally means ‘fiery water’ is an unrefined alcoholic drink that’s truly for the adventurous. Want to stay off the sauce? Available at almost every street-side corner around Mexico are a range of icy, fruit-based drinks called agua frescas where the tamarind flavoured one trumps all. Made from rice, almonds and cinnamon, horchata is another unusual, but yummy drink as is the spicy, sugar-free Mexican hot chocolate made from dairy-free dark chocolate that’s often spiked with chilli. 

6. Art for all!
There is little doubt that at the very forefront of Mexico’s dynamics art scene is the enigmatic couple, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. While the former’s bold and colourful pieces can be found superbly curated at Mexico City’s Museo Frida Kahlo, Rivera’s great murals that show a slice of the country’s history and cultural identity are best represented at the Secretaria de Educacion Publica and at the Palacio National, both also in Mexico City. Head out to Capula at the foothills of Michoacán for an eyeful of the weird and wonderful sculptures at artist Juan Torres’ property. For some pre-Hispanic art, check out the Olmec Heads in the Gulf of Mexico that date back to 900BC.

7. Mayan Mexico
Wielding perhaps the greatest clout of all of ancient Mexico’s civilisations, the Mayan influence on the country is best celebrated at places like Tulum and Palenque with its exquisite palaces, tombs and temples decorated with carvings and paintings. For a glimpse of modern day Mayan life (yes, it exists) take a detour to the mountain town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas which is surrounded by traditional modern Mayan villages that we swear aren’t oxymorons!   

8. Nature’s bounty
Not many would know this, but seven of the eight species of sea turtle in the world nest along Mexico’s beaches, making turtle conservation sanctuaries like El Tortugario near Cuyutlán a must visit. The cactus forest of the Zapotitlán Salinas zone of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve shows you just how important cacti are to Mexican culture. But if there is one place we would recommend you devote all your nature love to, then that would have to be to the bright blue Agua Azul waterfalls on the Xanil River in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

9. Colonial vestiges
Bringing to Central America a decidedly European flair are Mexico’s colonial strongholds like Puebla and Monterrey with their well-preserved zocalos (town squares), churches and world class museums. Other places like Zacatecas on the edge of the northern desert with its brilliant colonial architecture and the walled city of Campeche famous for its bastions that once defended the city from pirates should feature on your colonial Mexico itinerary. 

10. The sporty side of life
Known as fútbol, soccer is the de facto national sport where the national team El Tri (the tricolour) are revered like Gods. Check out a match at Mexico City’s Estadio Axteca and soak up the unbridled passion that the fans display. Borrowed from their northern neighbour, USA, baseball too is a very popular sport with the two strongest clubs being the Tomateros and the Naranjeros. Popular in the north of the country, charreadas or rodeos are fun as are the highly dramatised lucha libre wrestling matches held all over Mexico. But if there is one sport that you won’t find anywhere else in the world then that would have to be the Mesoamerican indigenous game of ulama as it is called in Sinaloa, where a rubber ball is meant to be kept off the ground by two teams by all means. And yes, the operative words here being ‘all means’!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the December 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Surf’s Up!

Fancy learning to ride the surf-crested waves while enjoying a bit of sun and sand on the side in Sri Lanka? We bring you a few of the best surfing schools on the tear drop-shaped island. Places where your inner wave rider is just waiting to be released...

By Raul Dias

Ahikava Surf School, Galle
As much as it is known as a town with great historical significance, Galle along Sri Lanka’s South Coast is being recognised as one of the world’s leading new surfing hot-spots. Thanks to their impressive swells, the waters off the beaches in and around Galle are fast becoming magnets for surfers who flock to them in droves. And so, recognising this is the Ahikava Surf School that conducts its hands-on classes on the bay of Bonovosta, commonly known as the Dewata Sahana surfing beach. Located a mere 10-minute drive away from Galle towards Matara, the beach with its sandy bottom break makes it safe for you when surfing the first time. From courses that start at just an hour hour-long introductory one to an intensive 7-day certificate course, the school prepares novice surfers for everything from identifying current rips and sweeps so you stay safe while in the water, to practicing that all-important proper surf etiquette when in a line-up to avoid wave crashing.

Ahikava Surf School
No 420/G, Matara Road, Beach of Bonovista,
Dewata, Galle-80000
+94 775903527
srilankasurfingschool.com


Kumara Surf School, Arugam Beach  
So secluded and unknown is Arugam Bay along Sri Lanka’s East Coast, that most often than not, the only other visitors to its tiny beach are the playful little crabs that can be seen scampering about. But ask those in the know and the stories they will tell you are sure to inspire your next surfing holiday to this magical spot of sand. ‘Pristine blue waters meet virgin beach’ is the best way to describe Arugam Bay without going into hyperbolic overdrive. But it is the world class surfing here that does a whole lot more of the talking. And while there may not be many places to rent out gear and help with all your other surfing requirements, a surfing course at Kumara Surf School here is the ideal way to get an introduction to the calm waves that lap along the bay’s beach. A surfing novice? Fear not. Due to the beach break, Arugam Bay is the perfect spot for all levels of beginners. What’s interesting is that the surf school lead by pro surfer Kumara is run entirely by local guys who started out with just three (borrowed!) surf boards. Today, all the school’s instructors are ISA (International Surfing Association) and ILS (International Lifesaving Federation)-certified and ready to introduce you to the water sport they are obsessed with.

Kumara Surf School
Ulla Pottuvil
Arugam Bay-32500
+94 774333374
kumarasurfschool.com


Sion Surf Camp, Ahangama 
While the South Coast may have the reputation of Sri Lanka’s top backpacker haven, it also has a delicious little secret that not many are aware of. And we’re alluding to that of a surfing haven where one can ride some of the best waves the island has to offer along its Ahangama Beach stretch. With a calm reef break right outside, this surf camp is perfect for both surfing amateurs and the more professional surfers to get their feet (and everything else!) wet in its warm, azure waters. Suitable for surfers of all ages and all levels, the seven-day surfing course at Sion Surf Camp comes replete with a homestay experience, including all dinners and yoga sessions to keep you as nimble as you can get for your surfing sessions. As far as those after hours are concerned, the South Coast has some great ‘aprés-surf’options like the legendary beach parties at the many shacks doting the nearby beaches of Weligama, Unawatuna and Mirrissa.

Sion Surf Camp
Goviyapana
Ahangama-80650
+94 775024602
sionsurfcamp.com


The Surfer Weligama, Weligama
Made up of two different in-residence surfer camps—The Surfer Beach Camp and the TS2-Weligama Surf Camp—The Surfer Weligama makes the most of the pristine stretch of sand that is the Weligama Beach. Said to be situated in the best spot on the beach in front of a less crowded beginner break and walking distance to the Weligama main spot, this surf school also provides an easy access to reach another nine to ten surf spots within a 10-minute radius…besides great accommodation and food, of course. The school offers three surf packages: LEVEL 01 for beginners, LEVEL 02 for those that have been in the water before and the Surf Guiding package for those fairly proficient with riding the waves. All this, with a team of experienced instructors of Lankan, Germans, Dutch, Scandinavians and British-origin who have good local knowledge, perfect for helping you navigate the waves like a soon-to-be-pro!

The Surfer Weligama
NO 65, Wadana Watta,
Pelena, Weligama-81700
+94 773926614
thesurferweligama.com


For the Experienced Surfer…
Surf School Sri Lanka, Ahangama
In a marked departure from the other schools on this list, the Surf School Sri Lanka in Ahangama does not cater to beginners and is purely for all those experienced surfers out there who need to pre-book a spot way in advance. Here, you can choose from a varied number of courses that start from a 5-day one and go up to a more intensive 10-day course, with each beginning early in the morning at 6am with a 2.4-hour ‘in water’ coaching sessions followed by video classes. Employing a specially devised system by coaching director Tim Jones, the lessons here are delivered by ISA certified surf coaches with ratios being four coaches to every one student. And now that Sri Lanka has its first National Surfing Federation—along with its tie in with the ISA—offering ISA coaching qualifications gives visitors a greater quality of coaching. With their season running from the beginning of November to the end of April each year, now’s the perfect time to head there for a week or so to get your surfing A-Game on.

Surf School Sri Lanka
Amaravila Kathaluwa,
Ahangama-80650
+94 754726844
surfschoolsrilanka.com

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the December 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Notes from Hungary

By Raul Dias 

Like any seasoned traveller, I have a non-negotiable set of ‘rituals’ that I need to perform when visiting any new place. Chief among those is to visit a food market to get a pulse of the quotidian life of the local people. I love nothing better than to see bossy grannies haggle their way though a purchase of tomatoes. In European markets, I greedily look forward to the generous samples cheese-mongers and charcutiers put out for gourmands like myself.

So, on a recent trip to Hungary, the minute I was done with checking into my hotel in Budapest, I sauntered down to the city’s Great Market Hall housed at the end of the famous pedestrian shopping street Váci Utca on the Pest side of Liberty Bridge at Fővám Square. And while I did get my fill of both bargaining octogenarians and some rather strange local charcuterie — particularly the lókolbász or horse meat sausage — I encountered row upon row of stalls in the market dedicated to a single spice. Paprika.

Revelling in all its sweet-n-smoky glory, paprika is the de facto spice of Hungary, where almost the entire cuisine pivots around the axis created by the spice. And paprika-obsessed Hungarians have a certain Mr. Christopher Columbus to thank. Originating in Central Mexico, the spice that consists of dried and ground chillies made its way to the far Balkans via Spain when the Turks introduced paprika to the Balkan Peninsula in the 18th century during the Ottoman rule.

Dash of heat

Interestingly, thanks to it being packed with Vitamins A and E and capsaicin — which is said to have anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties — paprika was first used by Hungarians as a medicine for treating typhus. It is also capsaicin that gives chillies their heat.

In fact, up until 1920, all paprika was super-hot. It was only when a hybrid variety of the plant was created in the southern Hungarian region of Szeged that paprika got its distinct sweet and smoky flavour profile. In fact, the Szeged paprika museum is said to be a very popular tourist spot where everybody is sent off with a 10-gram sampling of paprika.

Back at Great Market Hall, I soon realised there is no one paprika that fits into all dishes. A rather patient stall owner with much better English language skills than my non-existent Hungarian gave me the paprika 101. Apparently, the two most common types of paprika are either édes (sweet) or csipős (hot). But one could also go for the különleges deep red, finely ground paprika, which is mild. Or for those with a predilection for a dash of searing heat in their food, the rózsa, a dark red, medium-coarse paprika which tends to be very hot, is your best bet.

At lunch later that day at Zeller Bistro, a Budapest icon that regularly gets its share of ‘five star’ reviews for its wide range of paprika-rich offerings, Zoltan, an old university buddy, introduced me to a plethora of Hungarian classics that hero the spice. We started off with a cliché. Better known to most as goulash, gulyásleves is by itself a very basic meat and potatoes kind of stew that gets elevated to high gastronomic heaven when a dash of paprika and cream are added to it. Similarly, halászlé, the humble fishermen’s soup — made using river fish like carp or pike fished from the Danube — takes on a spicy hue when the warmer édesnemes variety of paprika is added to it.

By then, utterly obsessed with all things paprika, I found myself at Paprika Molnar factory, in the village of Roszke 15 kilometres from Szeged city. It is here I took a guided tour and learnt how things weren’t all rosy (pun intended) for paprika very recently, almost causing a national crisis.

In 2013, production hit a rough patch when Hungarian paprika exports slumped, as buyers across the world turned to cheaper supplies mainly from China and Latin America. This was in the wake of two years of unpredictable weather Hungary faced, resulting in the poorest yield of the paprika-producing capsicum annuum chilli in 50 years. I was told there was even talk of the possibility of Hungary having to import its very own treasured spice.

But in the last five years, things have taken an upward swing with production back on track, and once again, all is well in the land that literally worships its ‘red gold’.

(This article first appeared in the 2nd December 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-hungary/article25642593.ece)

But in the last five years, things have taken an upward swing with production back on track, and once again, all is well in the land that literally worships its ‘red gold’.